Our mother, grandmother and great grandmother was born May 14, 1923 and passed away at age 93 on March 17, 2017. She had spent nine years at Arbor House. Alice was born at home to Frances Wells Hoover and Rucker Hoover five miles south of Harrah. While living on their small but successful dairy farm near Marion Drain, south of Harrah, Alice attended Wapato schools.
Alice graduated from Central Washington Teacher's College in 1945 and began teaching in Toppenish. She married John Brink June 20, 1947. She taught in Parker Heights while John worked as an aircraft mechanic. Daughter Janet was born in 1948 and son Bob in 1953.
In 1954 the family moved to a small 21 acre fruit ranch in Parker Heights, while Alice continued teaching first grade. After a divorce in 1965, Alice taught in Yakima and then in Vancouver, Washington, where she survived a historic tornado in 1972 that blew the roof off of Peter S. Ogden grade school where she was teaching.
Alice retired from teaching in 1980 and moved back to Yakima where she ran a dried flower and wedding flower arranging business. Alice always had an artistic eye and beautiful handwriting. She enjoyed her church family at Stone Church and caring for her grandchildren, along with decorating, knitting and hand crafts of all kinds - many of which she gave away as gifts or made for family members. She spent numerous weekends volunteering at the Pomeroy Living History Farm, run by her son Bob, near Yacolt, Washington.
Alice was most recently married to Henry VandenBrink Jr., and spent the last nine years of her life residing in the Brookdale Englewood Heights Arbor House Memory Care Facility.
Alice is survived by her brother Jim (Joanne) Hoover of Moore, Idaho; children Janet (John) Turner of Cowiche, Bob (Jane) Brink of Yacolt; grandchildren Jason Calahan, Dan Brink and Betsy McKee, and three great grandchildren, Wesley and Taylor Calahan, and Everett McKee. .
Memorials may be sent to Pomeroy Living Historic Farm, 20902 N.E. Lucia Falls Rd Yacolt, WA 98675. A big thank you to the staff of Arbor House II for all the care and concern they gave our mom. They will miss her as much as we will. Thanks also to Memorial Hospice for the care they gave the last few weeks of her life.
A family gathering was held in Yacolt, WA.
Keith & Keith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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